and I'm home (fifth harmony kidfic)

intro to lauren

The green eyed newly seven year old is lying on her bed when she hears a knock. She looks over and smiles a little when it's Dinah who walks. She's folding her hands. She steps up quietly and gets onto the bed. The girls had never slept alone since Camila left. They learned a week after she left that the couple moved to a house two hours away. That was when they try understood they wouldn't see the girl for a while.

"Hi DJ," Lauren says, rolling over onto her stomach, "another family wants to take me in." she says quietly. She peers up at Dinah with a frown. The young polynesian girl fiddles with the necklace clasped around her neck as Lauren speaks. Dinah sighs and lights on her stomach next to Lauren.

"Who?" Dinah asks, meeting her best friends weary eyes. Lauren shrugs, glancing up at her ceiling.

"I don't care," Lauren sighs, "I'll be back soon."

The two lay there for a while. Lauren had been taken to many therapy sessions, and it became clear quickly that her PTSD, anxiety and acting out all stemmed from her rough start in life. Growing up in a meth house for the first four years of your life didn't exactly give you a good start. And the little girl was quite sad a majority of the time, but perked up when ever Dinah was around. But all of these physiological issues prevented her from finding a decent placement. They always ended up with Lauren's social worker bringing her back explaining that the family 'weren't sure how to handle her behavior'. But everyone including the little girl knew it was just code for her being too much work.

While Lauren struggled a lot with getting through, Dinah was always at her side ready to cuddle her or play dolls or color. They hadn't touched their powerpuff girls costumes since the last night before Camila left. It just didn't feel right without a missing girl, plus neither Dinah or Lauren thought any of the other girls would be fit enough to be Blossom.

After fifteen minutes of quiet breathing, they cuddle up to each other and fall into a tired slumber. When one of the caretakers goes up to collect them for dinner, she can't help but leave them there. It was clear to everyone that without each other, the designated powerpuff girls weren't themselves.

-

It's at night when the two ladies are awake. They're quietly making their way to the back porch of the five bedroom house. It had always been their tradition. Every Friday night. Lauren quietly shuts the door. They sit down on the jagged wooden steps.

Lauren leans into Dinah. The cold air nips their delicate skin, but they can't be bothered by it. It's a small price to pay for the important time they always need.

"I'm scared, Dinah." Lauren whispers. The full name catches the latter girl by surprise. That's how she knows Lauren is truly scared. She wraps one of her arms around the girl, proud that she's getting taller enough to have a better hold. Lauren's tense body relaxes once she's in the warm embrace.

"thanks DJ." Lauren says quietly. The two look at the stars. Dinah points to three stars and smiles. Lauren snuggles closer.

"Me n Mila n you, Lolo look." Dinah points. Lauren's fingers gently touch her necklace. Sometimes she wonders if Camila thinks of them too. The thought of being connected with the bright brunette makes her smile. Quiet noises if the earth flutter around them in complete serenity.

The two girls point out stars and recall constellations that they learned from the library book they checked out. They giggle quietly and make knock knock jokes until their cheeks are flushed red with euphoria. Lauren makes faces that force Dinah to cover her mouth refrain from laughing loudly, and in return she tells Lauren tricky riddles that make the Cuban groan in a muddled state.

All the while, Miss Lani watches from the window. She had always known about their little tradition. The girls weren't the sneakiest and she was a light sleeper. She had to be with watching playful little girls. She waits until she sees Lauren's shoulders drop a little. Finally she pushes the patio door open, causing both of the girl to jump at the unexpected noise. They go wide eyed in fear of getting in trouble, but just smiles and yawns, bringing the tired Cuban into her arms. Lauren gingerly wraps her legs around the woman's waist. Kehlani uses her free hand to take Dinah's.

"Come on monkeys, time for bed." she whispers. The girls say quiet and they're taken to their bedroom.

The door creaks as the girls go in. The woman lays Lauren next to Dinah and covers them, kissing their heads. Lauren immediately turns and curls into Dinah, causing the polynesian to smile sleepily.

"night night Miss Lani." Dinah whispers tiredly with a yawn. Kehlani only smiles and gently shuts the door.

Dinah wraps her arms around Lauren securely.
"Night night Lolo." she whispers again. Lauren only responds in even soft breaths, so Dinah just closes her eyes and lets her sleepy state take over.

-

Dinah rolls over to find the spot next to her empty in the morning. She panics and sits up, tossing the warm blanket off her body and practically running down the stairs. She comes through the front room, sighing in relief when she find her best friend laying on the couch with her little backpack on the floor.

"Morning Lo." Dinah says, getting onto the couch. Lauren pushes herself up with a pout.

"I don't wanna leave." the defiant child states with crossed arms. Dinah gazes at the girl before nodding and looking away.

"I no want you to leave either." Dinah says quietly. She sighs before getting off the worn blue couch. She couches by the yellow bookshelf and pulls off a picture book. Their favorite one, actually. Lauren reads it, because Dinah isn't as confident with her reading yet, but Lauren stops every once in a while to help the girl read a page.

And by the end of the book, Dinah smiles and sticks in Lauren's backpack when she isn't looking.

The girls spend the rest of the warm afternoon playing on the outside playset and drawing pictures for each other.

A few hours later Lauren's social worker is waiting for her with a patient smile. Lauren wraps her arms around Dinah and kisses her cheek.

"I see you at school." she promises, feeling better knowing now that she'll be in the same school district. Dinah nods and squeezes her hand.

Lauren gets picked up by Kehlani, who squeezes her tightly. She had been there when Lauren first arrived in dirty clothing a bruised face. She had been the one the little girl would go to when she got overwhelmed at night. With everything in her the woman wanted to take Lauren in as her own, but things like that rarely worked out.

"I love you Lo." Kehlani says sweetly. Lauren smiles and giggles when the woman tickles her sides as she sets her down. Lauren squeals and presses a kiss to her Miss Lani's cheek. She grips her bag and waves to Dinah before her social worker leads out the door.

And once again, Dinah finds herself looking longingly at the door, wishing for it to open and have the two girls appear again. But it doesn't open again and Ariana takes her hand and leads her to the kitchen to help set up for dinner.

And when she sets the plates down, she doesn't do the forks or spoons because that was Lauren's job. And she gazed at the cups with such disappointment knowing her Mila should be the one doing that part. Instead of helping, she looks down and heads to her room. No one stops her.

The little girl curls in her bed and cries. Her bed had never felt so empty and loneliness had never felt so prominent.

The weeks go by and she sees Lauren at school. Her spirits lift slowly, but going home every evening knowing Lauren wouldn't be running after her hurt her youthful heart. But playing with the girl at recess and seeing her in class felt better.

But slowly as more time went past, Lauren began to show up less and less. And the energy that used to exist in the dark haired child evaporated until she became quiet and emotional. It didn't take long until one day Dinah stood at the door of their classroom hugging Lauren right as she was about to leave early for the day. Lauren hugged tightly back and buried her head in the taller girl's shoulder.

"Bye bye Lo, see you later!" Dinah said softly. Lauren had waved and smiles sadly, and blew a kiss before she was pulled to her foster mother's side and dragged out the door of the elementary school.

Lauren never showed up again.

Already in her life, Dinah had now experienced her second heartbreak.